Garden thread

[21hens-incharge]

Yeah I had problems with squirrels, bunnies and birds while in the ground. I was able so drape/rig bird netting over this which helped.

Now that they are in a raised bed......I will have to fence things out.

I have pvc hoops over that bed so we will see what I can do to protect them and still have good access.

 

[Farmdog267]

Bird's weren't too bad of an issues except with my sunflowers. Groundhogs did me in while I living in a rental house for several years. I'm fortunate to be in a better situation at this point. It seemed like as good as I did the bird netting, even clothes pinning it together well, they would still find a way inside. Mostly robins and sparrows. Last year it was dealing with the spotted lantern fly, and although they were numerous; they didn't seem to damage and of the vegetables. I'm told orchards and vineyards locally had a much more difficult time dealing with them.

 

[Melodychick]

I have pvc hoops over that bed so we will see what I can do to protect them and still have good access.

let us know if you find a good method. Everything I’ve tried made it too hard for me to get to the plants.

I did the bird netting

I tried bird netting too, but the other critters just rip it open. I don’t have trouble with birds because the cats hang out in the garden area enough during the day, so they scare them off.

 

[21hens-incharge]

let us know if you find a good method. Everything I’ve tried made it too hard for me to get to the plants.




I tried bird netting too, but the other critters just rip it open. I don’t have trouble with birds because the cats hang out in the garden area enough during the day, so they scare them off.

My plan so far is to do 18" high panels of 1/2" hardware cloth with wood framing held together in the ends with screw eyes and drop in rods. Bird netting over the top....loosely zip tied to the pvc so I can slide it up. I should be able to remove the long side panels and get in there to work.

 

[SFogg]

The growing season here in Northern Alberta is quite short. Last year was the first year my pickling cucumbers actually amounted to something worth canning and then we got an unexpected frost, in early September, and bye bye cucumbers . Hoping this year I can get them started inside even earlier than last year and end up with enough for a batch of pickles!

 

[Rooapalooza]

I’ve thought of that, but haven’t tried it, hmmm... Do you put them under lights, or a sunny window, or what?
It’s a rainy day here today, so I’m getting out my supplies to set up my mini greenhouse in my spare bathroom. Just some shelves in the bathtub with heat mats and lights, but it gets the seedlings started well enough. Here’s a pic of the set up with some chicks in a brooder alongside

View attachment 1992524

I put them in a sunny window. They didn't grow much, but also didn't bolt, which is a big accomplishment for me! I'd love to hear other people's opinions on this:
I've started almost exclusively container gardening, to extend my growing season. Things grow smaller and I have a lot less of them, but their lives are extended (sometimes by years). In the ground, it feels like every time I plant things really early to avoid the heat, we have a random hard freeze that knocks everything out. The plants that live through the freezes bolt when we have weeks over 85F in like, December. Do other people have this problem? I'm a real amateur but I don't understand how other people handle erratic weather. Oh and also deer. I used to have several 10'x10' raised beds and I called them me Cristo and Jeanne-Claude garden. It looked ridiculous. I have a small bed leftover that the chickens absolutely LOVE taking baths in, so that's nice at least.

 

[Melodychick]

I plan to try more container gardening this year too. I haven’t figured out how to avoid the bolting, but for the random freezes I use covers. I have small raided beds with hoops over the beds and put blankets with plastic over the blanket if rain is expected.

 

[Farmdog267]

What plants are you wanting to grow in the containers?

I put them in a sunny window. They didn't grow much, but also didn't bolt, which is a big accomplishment for me! I'd love to hear other people's opinions on this:
I've started almost exclusively container gardening, to extend my growing season. Things grow smaller and I have a lot less of them, but their lives are extended

 

[Rooapalooza]

What plants are you wanting to grow in the containers?

What I have now are: tomatoes, eggplants, okra, peppers, potatoes, kale, chard, and pineapples. They area mostly all in 3-10 gallon pots or burlap grow bags. I also have grapefruit and lemon trees. The grapefruit will have to go in the ground next year. I've had it on a dolly for like two years so I can roll it in the garage when it gets cold, but that looks pretty trashy.

I've got some cauliflower and broccoli started in containers, but I usually put those in the ground. I've been frustrated with how small my cauliflowers usually are, but I think I'm started them early enough this year that they will grow to full size before it gets too hot?

 

[Melodychick]

I think I may plant 1 or 2 of each veggie in pots and 1 or 2 in the ground. See what does better! What kind of soil do you use in your pots? I have a lemon tree in the ground and get over 200 lemons/year on it. It is only about 5’ tall and wide. I also have satsuma trees that get pretty full. I planted the cauliflower and broccoli as transplants, in the ground in early sept. They are just now forming heads. I hope to get them before the cabbage worms do...